1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a media file management system and method for a home media center that controls the contents of digital information appliances coupled through a home network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a media file management system and method that enable media files to be conveniently edited by using an input device, such as a remote control as an input means in a home media center that controls media files such as images, music and movies that are included in a variety of digital information appliances through a home network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with recent developments and the popularity of a variety of related art digital information appliances such as PCs, including desktop and laptop computers, DTVs, DVD players, digital camcorders and digital cameras, applications for creating new digital contents, as well as editing and playing the created digital contents on PCs by using these digital information appliances have been widely utilized. Further, technologies enabling users to easily gain access to digital contents stored in information appliances through home networks as well as PCs are rapidly being developed.
Related art digital information appliances including DTVs are now attracting public attention as a major means of providing contents. As a result, there is a need for a means of enabling everyone to easily edit and enjoy digital media contents, which have been created using digital information appliances on a home network, through a display apparatus connected to a device for controlling the digital information appliances via the home network.
As an example of such a related art means of editing media contents, Korean Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-010559 entitled “Television with an album function” discloses a method of performing the screen capture of input video signals, storing the captured image data in an album memory and displaying the image data stored in the album memory on a screen according to operations of a remote control by a user.
However, that related art scheme has various problems and disadvantages. For example, but not by way of limitation, since the television with the album function is constructed to display only image data stored in the television, there is a related art problem in that the television cannot gain access to text, images, music and movies stored in other external appliances such as PCs, CDs and DVDs.
Further, in the case of copying media files through a TV screen in the television with the album function, a folder containing a media file to be copied should be searched. Then, the media file should be copied and movement should be made to a folder into which the media file will be copied, via remote control. To this end, plural operations of buttons need to be performed. Thus, there is a problem in that it is very inconvenient for a user to utilize the television.